tarakihi
Nemadactylus macropterus
Bottom fish of the shelf and slope off Argentina, with good flesh sold as fillets. It is exploited by commercial fishing and shows up in recreational bottom fishing.
Also called: besugo-de-nadadeira-longa, tarakihi
- maximum
- 70 cm
- record/max.
- 2.9 kg
- depth
- 100–250 m
who is the tarakihi
Trumpeter of the family Latridae, from shelf and slope bottoms of the southwestern Atlantic, in Argentina, and also from the Indo-Pacific, in Australia and New Zealand. It reaches 70 cm and up to 2.9 kg. Adults stay on the bottom, usually between 100 and 250 m, and juveniles live near shallow reefs. Postlarvae inhabit the open sea. It feeds on polychaete worms, crustaceans, mollusks and echinoderms. Its flesh is of good quality and widely sold as fillets.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the tarakihi; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Silvery adults, with the upper pectoral fin rays elongated and a broad black band running from the nape to the base of the pectoral fin. Juveniles live closer to shallow reefs. In the same area, the besugo (Nemadactylus bergi) reaches only 39.5 cm and has one elongated pectoral ray.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it occurs in Argentina, on the slope and shelf of the southwestern Atlantic, in southern South America. Outside it, it lives around islands of the Indian Ocean, in southern Australia and New Zealand.
Habitat: Shelf and slope bottoms, 100 to 250 m deep, with juveniles on shallow reefs.
rules for the tarakihi
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
The spines of the dorsal fin are not dangerous. It lives on deep bottoms, and rapid ascent causes barotrauma, so release it carefully.
in the kitchen
Good-quality flesh, widely sold as fillets.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01288, b = 3.03; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Nemadactylus macropterus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Nemadactylus macropterusNames by country and language.
